Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool are back in the latter stages of the Champions League, but the path to the Budapest final is looking stacked as the full bracket picture comes into focus. Friday’s draw in Nyon will not only decide the Reds’ last‑16 opponents but also lock in their entire path to the final at the Puskás Aréna on 30 May.
Arne Slot’s side already know that their campaign will restart against either Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray.
Atletico would bring a tactical chess match and memories of previous knockout battles, while Galatasaray would offer a hostile away atmosphere and the chance for revenge after that 1-0 defeat in the league phase. Neither option is remotely straightforward, but what follows could be even more daunting.
On one potential “nightmare route”, Liverpool could start with Galatasaray and then land a glamour quarter‑final against one of Paris Saint‑Germain, Barcelona or Chelsea, all lurking on the same side of the bracket.
Survive that and the semi‑final could throw up an even bigger giant: Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City or Arsenal are all possibilities, depending on how the draw falls. It’s the kind of gauntlet that would test every ounce of depth, mentality and luck the squad possesses.
There is, however, a “blue path” that looks marginally kinder on paper.
If Liverpool are paired with Atletico and fall into the opposite half of the draw, they could instead be looking at quarter‑final and semi‑final ties featuring the likes of Newcastle United, Bayer Leverkusen or Bodo/Glimt, teams dangerous in their own right but without the same Champions League pedigree as Bayern or Madrid.
Even then, the final in Budapest would almost certainly mean facing one of Europe’s true heavyweights, with City, Madrid, Bayern and Arsenal among the leading contenders to emerge from the other side.
The reality is simple: there is no easy road to a seventh European crown, only versions on paper that look slightly easier. All Liverpool can do now is wait for the balls to come out in Nyon – and be ready to run whichever gauntlet the draw throws in their direction.
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